Braden questionable for tomorrow, Giambi not activated

Your pregame update from the Coliseum, where we have pretty ideal weather for a ballgame right now. We’ll see if that’s still the case at first pitch …

Dallas Braden was limping around the clubhouse pretty good today, the result of a rash on his left ankle that’s become inflamed. According to Bob Geren, Braden has been wearing a neoprene toe guard while pitching because he’s been dragging his left foot. The rash stemmed from him wearing that.

At any rate, Braden is questionable for his start tomorrow, so the A’s will have a Plan B ready. Geren said Edgar Gonzalez is one possibility, or they could pull somebody up from Triple-A Sacramento. Jerome Williams would be on turn to pitch for the River Cats, and the A’s have room on the 40-man roster for him. But Williams is just 1-4 with a 6.60 ERA in 20 appearances (9 starts). Dana Eveland is an option, but he’d have to go on three days’ rest and he threw 101 pitches on Saturday. Shawn Chacon is out — he started today.

If Gonzalez isn’t needed in relief tonight, my money’s on him.

–Can’t say I was surprised that Jason Giambi wasn’t activated from the DL today. He wasn’t around the clubhouse before batting practice to offer his take on things, and Geren was tight-lipped as ever regarding Giambi’s situation. Geren flat-out avoids addressing Giambi’s physical condition. “There’s no change in his status. It’s the same as yesterday. We’ll go day-to-day with it,” Geren said.

What is it that’s holding Giambi back? “We’re just not ready to activate him,” Geren said. Remember, Giambi has been saying the past few days that his right quad feels OK.

It seems pretty obvious to me that the A’s want to go with Tommy Everidge and (when he’s healthy) Daric Barton at first base. But who knows? Maybe they truly aren’t convinced that Giambi is ready to go.

Anyway, here’s tonight’s lineups, featuring Rajai Davis in the leadoff spot w/Adam Kennedy getting a day off. I know some of you out there have wondered about plugging Davis into the top spot regularly. Enjoy!! At least for one day … Geren said he still likes Kennedy leading off …

well said about how fans are abused by “owners not willing to pay the price” for putting a winning team on the field
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peacefulcanadian
6 hours ago
The expectations from ownership and upper management must change to reflect a change in attitude from the players themselves. An attitude of mediocrity at the top filters down to an attitude of mediocrity on the playing field. Of course the economics of baseball need adjustment, but would the mediocrity being bred fly in New York for example? Not a chance!
If one is happy to fight for 3rd or 4th place and manage its organization like Florida, Pittsburgh or KC then there will never be a winner in the city of Toronto again. JP can only mislead the fans so many times with his five year plans and the ownership can never expect to contend when it is constantly slashing the budget.
The city of Toronto has great sports fans who will come out to the park if they believe there is a serious attempt being made to produce a contender. However, there are plenty of other entertainment options both sporting and non-sporting related that fight for our disposable income. If the Blue Jays organization wants our hard-earned dollars they are going to have to make a far more concerted effort to earn it than they have the past fifteen years. My next trip to Rogers Centre will be in September, but to see U2, not the Jays. Here’s hoping for new ownership and management in time to salvage this once storied franchise.

Jan K Oski

Bob – cheap owners aren’t even close to being MLB’s top problem. Did you ever hear of the drug abuse problem or the lack of profit sharing?

Only Albert seems to be unblemished by the steriod scandal. How many present players are using more sophisticated drugs, today? We don’t know, and I guarantee the commish doesn’t know, either. Urine test? What a joke!

Do you know how much the Yankees make on their TV deal in comparison to the A’s roster salary? You’ll be awed by the huge difference. There’s a reason why the teams with the best TV revenues are more likely to be in the playoffs this season. Those teams need the smaller market teams to play games, but they horde their money and steal the best players from the smaller market teams. The MLB is a joke, and any fan who supports it in the small markets is a fool.

People need to stop going to games and demand change. The prior has already happened, but the later will force the hands of the owners. Unfortunately, we are in a society of addicts who don’t want anything but self-gratification. So, your only hope is for an occasional surprise from our A’s. As the very talented A’s of past and the Devil Rays showed last year, forget about a World Series Victory from one of these small market teams. The small market teams are merely another level of the minor league system. Oh how I miss the naivety of youth.